QSR1860/3/5/9

Depositions of David Birdsey, cattle dealer of Leighton Buzzard. William Stone of Leighton Buzzard. William Champkins, police constable of Leighton Buzzard. Susan Keep, single woman of Leighton Buzzard. Henry Tibbey, labourer of Leighton Buzzard. Elizabeth Parrott, wife of Joseph Parrott and William Clough, superintendent of police. In the case of George Sharpe accused of stealing 2 trusses of hay.

12 June 1860

From: 1860 To: 1860

David Birdsey: he had some land down Black Horse Lane. There was a shed in the field where he kept his hay. On 22 May he went with PC Champkins to a barn in Workhouse Lane and saw some hay in a dung heap there. He examined the hay and was of the opinion that it had come from his stack. He missed hay from his stack. The dung heap was about 200 yards from his stack. He knew nothing of the prisoner. It was strong hay and very long. The stack had 27 or 28 ton of hay and he had sold none of it. No one grew hay like it about the town. William Stone: he was employed by the prosecutor. On 17 May he went to his master’s barn in a field where his master had a stack of hay. He had taken the stack away over night. He took another 2 trusses away which left 5 trusses. On the afternoon of 17 May he missed 2 trusses. On 22 May he went with PC Champkins to Workhouse Lance. There was a dung heap in a yard. He turned it up and found a good bit of hay, about half a truss. It was covered with dung. He believed it to be his master’s hay. He had informed his master’s herd man when he missed the hay. He did not know whose dung heap it was. PC William Champkins: on 22 May he went to the prosecutor’s about some hay and accompanied him and Stone to Workhouse Lane. They went to a barn occupied by the prisoner. There was hay littered about and nearly trodden into dung. They went to the ash hole belonging to some of the cottages and Stone turned the top off the heap. He found a quantity of hay. It was all loose. The prosecutor identified it as his hay. The hay could not be seen before it was turned up. The hay was covered with ashes and the biggest part of it was wet. Susan Keep: she knew the prisoner well. On 17 May she saw the prisoner and a man by the name of Abrahams, who worked for the prosecutor, bring 2 trusses of hay. Each man had a truss. They put it in Joseph Parrott’s barn. They left the hay there and went away. She had a barn adjoining Parrott’s. About a quarter of an hour later she was in her barn when Abrahams and Sharpe returned. She heard Abrahams say to the prisoner that he had better take the hay back or they would be in trouble. The prisoner said he had bought a truss of hay from him for a shilling and would not take it back. She did not know how long the prisoner’s horse had been in Parrott’s barn. It was taken away the following day. Abraham’s took one of the trusses away. On 19 May she saw Sharpe take the horse away. The hay had not been eaten and Sharpe put it in the dung heap opposite the barn and covered it with ashes and dirt. She lived with Charles Elkerton as his wife. On 22 May she told the prosecutor’s wife what she had seen. A man by the name of Buckingham had use of the ash heap. The prisoner did not live in any of the cottages. Parrott had nothing to do with the ash heap. Charles Elkerton was at home when she gave the information to the prosecutor’s wife. She heard there was a warrant out to take Elkerton about a horse. Henry Tibbey: he was 12 years old and lived with his mother. A fortnight previous he had gone with Abrahams to take some things to Mr Roberts cattle. On his return he met the prisoner and a young woman. The prisoner said to Roberts “you’ll get took and better go and beg pardon of Mr Birdsey”….”you must say you were tipsy one night and had a bundle of hay at top of your back and a bit fell out of the bundle and that he (prisoner) picked a bit up”. Tibbey was accused of taking the hay and told Mr Birdsey what he knew. He heard Abrahams had run away. Elizabeth Parrott: wife of Joseph and she knew the prisoner well. On 17 May he asked her to let him her barn to put his pony in. She told him her husband was not willing and the prisoner said it was for the night. Superintendent William Clough: the prisoner was brought to the police station on 25 May. He told him the charge was taking 2 trusses of hay along with another man. The prisoner said he knew nothing about Abrahams or any hay. Abrahams had since absconded. Statement of the accused: he did not wish to make a statement.

item

Sharp, George,
Birdsey, David,
Champkins, William,
Keep, Susan,
Tibbey, Henry,
Parrott, Elizabeth,
Parrott, Joseph,
Clough, William,
Elkerton, Charles,
Abrahams,
Stone, William

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Leighton Buzzard Workhouse Lane, stealing, hay, cattle dealer